Device for turning over the leaves of music



Nov. 25 1924- 1,516,983

E. PERKINS DEVICE FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC Filed Jan. l,9202 Sheets-Sheet 1 VI h '1 1 1 1 v-Orb w I -4 4 w Nov. 25, 1924. 1,516,983

E. PERKINS DEVICE FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC Filed Jan. 5.1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES ELIJ'AH PERKINS, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR TURNING OVER THE LEAVES OF MUSIC.

Application filed January 5, 1920. Serial No. 349,533.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ELIJAH PERKINS, subject of the King of Great Britainand Ireland, and resident of Manchester, in the county of Lancaster,England, have invented an Improved Device for Turning Over the Leaves ofMusic (for which I have filed an application in Great Brit-ain on Feb.9, 1916, Patent No. 104,888), of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved device for turning over the leavesof music, and whilst specially intended for use on pianofortes, organsand the like, it is nevertheless applicable to other situations whenceits use would be advantageous.

It has reference to the type of device possessing a number of arms orfingers adapted to be engaged with the leaves of the music sheets, saidarms being turned from right to left by various means actuated by thefoot or hand of the player as playing proceeds and without the leaves orsheets being directly touched by the hands of the player.

My invention comprises an improved construction and arrangement of thearms to allow of their being readily engaged with or disengaged from themusic sheets, improved means for turning said arms from right to leftsingly, improved means for preventing more than one arm being turned ata time, means for allowing the arms which have been turned to the leftto be returned to the right position either singly or collectively, thecombination with the improved features referred to of means foractuating the arms from the right to the left position by the action ofthe feet or hands of the player and improved means for clamping themusic sheets at the binding.

My invention will be freely described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of thedevice.

Fig. 2 plan of same.

Fig. 3 part section of Fig. 1.

Fig. l sectional plan on line 12 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5, side elevation partly in section of the means for clamping themusic sheets in the centre.

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the means for operating the turningarms.

WVith the aforesaid objects in view my invention consists of a spindle asecured to a suitably-arranged bracket 1) adapted to be readily fixed tothe front of a piano, organ or the like musical instrument.

The spindle a passes into an operating tube or casing g capable of beingmoved circun'iferentially about the spindle in opposition to a'spring itwithin the casing, in one direction, and of being retracted by thespring in the opposite direction and likewise of.having axial movementon the spin dle with the spring in one direction. and against theinfluence of the latter in the opposite direction. Upon the upper end ofthe spindle a I freely mount between collars i and against each. otherany suitable number of bosses 7' each provided with an arm A: extendinglaterally, the free end of each arm having pivoted to it by a rule orother suitable joint m transversely of the arm Z: an upwardly extendingarm n of thin metal or other suitable material to support a sheet orleaf of music. The last named arm when made of fiat material ispreferably arranged edgewise to the music sheet at the back of thelatter when in the right hand position. I have, however, indicated armsof circular cross section as I find these effective. Each arm n in thearrangement shown in the drawings is formed in two main parts the lowerone a being secured to the arm 7c by the rule oint m referred to. Thislower arm has two bearings 0 in which arm a may freely slide and betweenthe lower bearing and a block 7) fixed on the lower end of arm n is aspring (1 which always tends to force block 12 against the arm 70 at 9to exert sufficient friction to hold the arms a and n in any requiredposition about the pivot pin of the joint.

. The upper end of each arm n has formed integrally with or attached toit a short arm 8 extending upwardly so as to leave a slit t to allow ofthe music sheet being passed between arms a and s, which is done byfirst pulling the combined arms forward about their pivotal joints,inserting each sheet and pushing each arm back to playing positionsingly, the sheets resting upon one another with the arms 11. between.The rule joints prevent the arms n being pushed too far back whilstholding them somewhat stifliy against the reverse movement when the armsare moved back from left to right.

The opposite sides of the bosses j of the horizontal arms are providedwith project ing heels to except the lowermost one,

To control the movement of the horizontal and vertical arms from rightto left and vice versa, the tube or case g is extended upwardly in theform of a half tube n in plan with its open side at the front having atits rear side a circumferential rib 20 adapted to engage in acorresponding groove formed in an axially slidable part ring or halftube g also open at the front side fitting loosely between the rear ofthe half tube 1} and the inner side of a half tubular extension e inplan, forming part of the supporting bracket 1). The slide ring 3 isprevented from rotating by a projection 2 engaging a vertical slot 3 inthe extension The slide ring g is also provided at the left hand frontside with an inwardly extending catch 4 at its upper edge to engagesuccessively with each heel u Figs. 2 and 4- on the bosses 7' referredto of arms is. A for ward projection or step 5 at the opposite righthand side on a successively comes in contact with the rear side of eachhorizontal arm I), the catch and projection 5 allowing only one arm 71'to be turned from right to left at a time. The extension 02 of ring 1)bears against the underside of each arm successively.

The tubular casing g and half tube n which are connected together effectthe turning of music sheet arms a as required. Normally, the tube g isheld in the lowest position axially with the internal spring 12,compressed, by a catch 6 engaging a part 7 of the fixed bracket 6 inwhich position the music arms a can be turned freely from right to leftsingly or collectively or vice versa, and forwardly or rearwarly whilstarranging the music sheets in the arms. On the other hand, to operatethe arms a singly from right to left the catch 6 is disengaged byslightly turning the tube 5 to the left, which then brings the forwardprojection or step 5 on the tube 1: behind the lowermost horizontal arm71-: and the catch t on ring 9/ in opposition to the heel of the secondarm I: leaving the first arm free to be turned. It also brings theextension '0" of the half tube o against the underside of the lower armZ: referred to. These actions are carried out by the extension andretraction of the spring It. By now rotat ing the tube 9 from right toleft the first arm and sheet are turned, the second arm and sheet beingheld from turning by the catch 4 and heel it. When the first arm is iscompletely over to the left the tube 9 is retracted by the spring andthe parts are put in position for operating the second arm and so onthroughout the series required to be actuated. Vhen the whole of therequired arms, to any number, have been operated they may be returnedfreely from left to right by sliding the tube back axially to normalposition ready for action again.

vAfter each arm n has been moved from right to left it is held inposition and prevented returning for the time being by a projecting arm11, connected to the ring 2 rising with such ring successively in frontof the arms is. This projection is moved to its lowermost position alongwith the tube 9 away from arms 7.: to enable the arms a to be returnedfreely to the right.

The tube 9 may be rotated in the forward direction each time an arm n isto be moved by means of a cord 9 attached to and passing round the tube,such cord. being led over guide pulleys such as g to an actuating pedalnear the usual pedals of the piano.

The bracket Z) previously referred to comprises a base Z1 and aninverted hollow flanged plate 6 both being clamped to the usual musicrest 0 or to a special rest fixed to the front of the piano by a screw oA further feature of my invention comprises means for clamping the musicsheets at their binding. This is effected by means of a hollow verticalarm 8 fixed to the plate o by screws 6 In front of this plate is a wirearm 9 whose lower end is firmly fixed in a block 10 slidable between theinner faces of the base b and plate 2/11. The arm 9 passes through aslot 12 in the latter and is normally pressed towards the arm 8 by aspring 13 coiled round a fixed pin 14-, such spring having one arm 15bearing against the flange of plate 6 and a second arm. 16 passing intoa slot 17 in the block 10. The spring is so arranged that the arm 15presses the block 10 and causes arm 9 to hold the music sheets betweenitself and arm 8 securely holding them. To enable the music sheets to beplaced between or be removed from the arms 8 and 9 the block ll) isprovided with a stem 18 and knob 19 by which it can be pulled forwardagainst the influence of the spring.

lVhat I claim and desire to Letters Patent is 1. In a music leaf turnera stationary supporting bracket provided with a vertical spindle, anoperating tube mounted to move longitudinally and circumferentially onthe said spindle, a single helical spring arranged between the saidspindle and tube and operating to move the tube in one direction bothlongitudinally and circumferentially, a series of arms for engaging thesheets of music pivoted on the upper part of the spindle between thesaid tube and bracket, the upper arms of the series being each providedwith a projection, a vertically slidable ring guided by the said bracketand provided with a retaining catch projecting over secure by guide andholding a sheet of music against the first said turning member, and aspring pressing the lower end of the second turning member downwardlyagainst a portion of the said turning arm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

ELIJAH PERKINS. Witnesses l/VlLLIAM H. TAYLOR, MARGARET E. RAMSBOTTOM.

